Pineapple strip peeling machine



Jan. 28, 1969 L. VADAS 3,424,213

PINEAPPLE STRIP FEELING MACHINE Filed June 20. 1966- She et of 11 LESLIE VADAS Hug", .W. F 1 BY w ATTORNEY:

Jan. 28, 1969' L. VADAS 3,424,213

PINEAPPLE STRIP FEELING MACHINE Filed June 20, 1966 Sheet 2 of 11 INVENTOR LESLI E VA DAS BYYWWW ATTORNEY L. VADAS PINEAPPLE STRIP REELING MACHINE Jan. 28, 1969 Sheet Filed June 20, 1966 INVENTOR LESLIE VADAS ATTORNEY Jan. 2s, 1969 Filed June 20, 1966 VADAS 3,424,213

PINEAPPLE STRIP FEELING MACHINE Sheet 4 INVENTOR LE 5 LI E VADAS AITORNEY L. VADAS PINEAPPLE STRIP FEELING MACHINE Jan. 28, 1969 Sheet Filed June 20. 1966 :tml li I l I l I l lww z INVEN'I'OR I LESLIE VADAS BY a W ATTORNEY Jan. 28, 1969 1.. VADAS 3,424,213

PINEAPPLE STRIP FEELING MACHINE Filed June 20,1966 Sheet 7 of 11 INVENTOR LESLIE VADAS ATTORNEY Jan. 28, 1969 l... VADAS 3,424,213

PINEAPPLE STRIP FEELING MACHINE I Filed June 20, 1966 Sheet 8 of 11 INVENTOR LESLIE VADAS a "Z02 Q in g ATTORNEY Jan. 28, 1969 L. ADAS I 3,424,213

PINEAPPLE STRIP FEELING MACHINE Filed June 20, 1966 Sheet 9 of 11 i iF'I B 1 117 402 476 Q /.2 492 466 0 Q 22 "1-. ---2o4 490 462 I H INVENTOR p LESLIE VADAS WWW AITORNEY Jan. 28, 1969 VADASV 3,424,213

PINEAPPLE STRIP FEELING MACHINE Filed June 20, 1966 Sheet /0 of 11 TIE 21 652 652% INVENTOR LESLIE VADAS ATTORNEY Jan. 28, 1969 L.VADAS 3,424,213

PINEAPPLE STRIP FEELING MACHINE Filed June 20, 1966 Sheet of 11 INVEN'I'OR LES LIE VADA 8 ATI'ORNEY United States Patent ()1 "ice 3,424,213 Patented Jan. 28, 1969 3,424,213 PINEAPPLE STRIP PEELING MACHINE Leslie Vadas, Los Gatos, Califl, assignor t FMC Corporatiou, San Jose, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 20, 1966, Ser. No. 558,725 US. Cl. 146-6 8 Claims Int. Cl. A23n 7/08, 3/12; A47j 25/00 This invention relates to fruit preparation machines and more particularly concerns an improved machine for peeling pineapples.

An object of this invention is to provide an efficient apparatus for peeling fruit.

Another object is to provide a cutter that is capable of cutting peel from fruit in a substantially spiral form.

A further object is to cut peel from a fruit by using a stationary knife past which the fruit moves.

Another object is to provide means for cutting the peel of a fruit into strip form and then removing the strip.

Another object is to provide a novel, arrangement of coordinated knives that coact to peel skin from pineapples.

Another object is to provide an improved chisel-type cutter particularly adapted for removing peel from pineapples.

Other and further features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary diagrammatic front elevation of the pineapple processing machine of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary, more or less diagrammatic side elevation, with parts broken away and parts in section, of the machine of FIG. 1.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevation, with parts broken away and parts in section of the upper portion of the machine of FIG. 2.

FIGURE 3A is an enlarged fragmentary perspective of a portion of the fruit pick-up turret of the machine, particularly showing the digitated construction of one of the pick-up members.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged, partly diagrammatic vertical section, with parts in elevation, taken substantially along lines 55 of FIG. 3.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged horizontal section taken generally along lines 66 of FIG. 3 and particularly showing one of the twenty-two processing or peeling units of the machine.

FIGURE 7 is a side elevation of the head of FIG. 6, the view being taken looking in the direction of arrows 77 of FIG. 6.

FIGURE 8 is a section taken along line 88 of FIG. 6.

FIGURE 9 is a transverse section taken along line 99 of FIG. 6.

FIGURE 10 is a transverse section taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 6.

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged, fragmentary section taken along line 1111 of FIG. 8.

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along line 1212 of FIG. 8.

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary perspective of a cutter assembly in its latched position and showing the cam used for unlatching the cutter.

FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary perspective of a cutter assembly used in the processing unit.

FIGURE 15 is an enlarged front elevation of a cutter assembly showing the cutter in its latched position.

FIGURE 16 is an enlarged front elevation taken on line 1616 of FIG. 7, and showing the details of a cutter and its mounting and its position relative to a pineapple positioned on a coring tube.

FIGURE 17 is a plan view taken along line 1717 of FIG. 16.

FIGURE 18 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the machine, particularly showing the location of various cams and guide strips.

FIGURE 19 is a front elevation of one of the cam tracks used in the machine, the view being taken looking in the direction of arrows 19-19 of FIG. 18.

FIGURE 20 is a front elevation of another cam track, the view being taken looking in the direction of arrows 20-20 of FIG. 18.

FIGURE 21 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a part of the machine, the view being taken looking in the direction'of arrows 21-21 of FIG. 18.

FIGURE 22 is a diagrammatic perspective of the drive mechanism of the machine of FIG. 1.

FIGURES 23-25 are fragmentary side elevations of modified forms of the cutter that divides the peel into strip form.

FIGURE 26 is a fragmentary diagrammatic section of an embodiment of the invention in which one of the peeling cutters is positively driven.

In general, the machine 20 (FIGS. 1 and 2) comprises a frame support structure 19 on which is mounted a continuously moving feed conveyor 21 (FIG. 2) that has a feed station A at which pineapples P are manually placed on the conveyor by an operator who orients each pineapple so that its axis is substantially horizontal. The pineapples are carried upwardly to a transfer station B where they are picked up by the fingers of a transfer turret 23 that is driven in timed relation with the feed conveyor 21. Before it reaches the transfer station, one end portion of the pineapple engages a vertical cutting blade 18 (FIGS. 2 and 4) that is mounted in fixed position and is arranged to slice off a predetermined amount of the end portion of the pineapple. The turrent 23 moves counterclockwise (FIG. 2) and, at a second station C, each pineapple is moved horizontally through one of six centering units 22 that are mounted on the transfer turret 23. As the pineapple leaves the centering unit, it is moved onto a coring tube 24 (FIG. 1) which is carried by a peeling or processing unit 25. In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, twenty-two separate processing units 25 are used, and all of these units are mounted in equi-spaced relation on two spaced endless chains 26, which form a processing conveyor, so that the units move in an endless path having an ascending run AR (FIG. 2) and a descending run DR. The units 25 move in timed relation to the movement of the centering units 22 on the turret 23 and to the movement of the feed conveyor 21 and,.'as will be explained more fully presently, the drive arrangement is such that, when each processing unit 25 reaches station C in the ascending run AR of the conveying chains 26, each coring tube moves into align ment with a centering unit 22 so that a pineapple in the centering unit can be transferred to the coring tube during continuous, synchronized movement of the feed conveyor, the transfer turret, and the processing conveyor.

While a pineapple is carried along descending run DR and then up run AR in impaled condition on the coring tube, various mechanisms of the associated processing unit are effective to remove and separately collect the peel of the pineapple, cut off the other end of the pineapple, remove the core, and finally discharge the cored, peeled, and trimmed pineapple in the upper part of the ascending run AR of the processing conveyor at a discharge station L.

The support structure 19 includes vertical end frames 31 and 32 (FIG. 1) and vertically disposed intermediate frames 33 and 34, all mounted on a common base 35.

In one embodiment of the machine, each end frame 31 or 32 is approximately eleven feet tall, and the distance between end frames is about six and a half feet. The intermediate frame 34 is an A-shaped member (FIG. 2) that has vertically spaced transverse members 34a and 34b welded to and supporting longitudinal box beams 36 and 37, while the intermediate frame 33 has a single transverse member 33a Welded to the box beam 37. The upper ends of the end frames 31 and 32 are connected by longitudinal plates or channels 38 and 39 (FIG. 2).

Feed cnvey0r.-The feed conveyor 21 comprises an endless chain (FIGS. 3 and 4) that has rollers 51 adapted to be engaged by the teeth of an idler sprocket 52 carried by a shaft 53 and by a drive sprocket 55 that is keyed to a power driven shaft 56. Shaft 53 is mounted in a pair of bearing blocks (one only being shown) each of which is arranged to be slidably adjusted in a fixed frame 61 by means of an adjusting screw 62 in a conventional manner. The frame 61 includes two upstanding side plates 63 and 64 (FIG. 4), and is supported near its lower end on two pivotally mounted adjustable posts 65 (FIG. 2). Near the upper end of the frame 61, the two side plates 63 and 64 are connected by a transverse plate and, at a point intermediate its ends, each side plate is supported by a transverse rod 71 (FIG. 3) that engages an arm 72 projecting downwardly from the associated side plate and an arm 73 carried by a bracket 74 that is welded to the box beam 36.

Each link of the endless chain 50 (FIG. 4) carries two angle brackets 75, and a fiat rectangular plate 76 is secured across the upper surfaces of the brackets 75. Four pusher members 80 are welded in spaced relation on the upper surface of alternate support plates 76 to provide a pocketed carrier, each pusher member having a base 81 secured to the plate 76 and a finger 82 that projects at a right angle to the base 81. The upper run of the feed conveyor is supported by means of a support plate 85. (FIGS. 3 and 4) that is welded between the inner, opposel surfaces of the side plates 63 and 64 and has an upper end 85a (FIG. 3) adjacent sprocket 55. Holddown bars 86 and 87 are secured to the inner surface of each of the side plates, the bars 87 being mounted at the transfer station B to particularly prevent the chain from raising at this zone. A bracket 90 (FIG. 3) is secured to and projects downwardly from each of the side plates 63 and 64 to support bearing units in which the shaft 56 is disposed.

Transfer turret.The transfer turret 23 comprises a reel (FIG. 5) which includes a central tubular core 101 having three axially spaced, radially projecting discs 102, 103 and 104 formed thereon. Six equi-spaced radial flanges 106, which extend between discs 103 and 104 project outwardly from the core 101, being integrally formed with the core and the discs. Six guide rods (FIG. 3) are fastened between the discs 103 and 104, each rod having an enlarged head that abuts disc 104 (FIG. 5) and a reduced end adjacent disc 103 that receives a spring clip 111.

It will the noted in FIG. 3 that the upper end of the endless chain feed conveyor 21 passes under the transfer turret 23 and that each pineapple is carried toward the transfer station B in a pocket defined by a set of the pusher members 80. At transfer station B, fingers of six pick-up units on the transfer turret, which move somewhat faster than the fingers 82 of the feed conveyor, pass between said fingers 82 to engage the pineapple in the pocket, push it out of the pocket and upwardly along a curved guide plate 112. The plate 112 is supported from the side walls 63 and 64 of the feed conveyor by a bracket 113 and is formed on a circular are which has the axis of revolution of the turret as its center.

As seen in FIG. 3A, each pick-up unit 115 includes a base plate 116 bolted to a mounting plate 117 that is, in turn, bolted to the upper end of one of the six radial flanges 106. Five spaced fingers 1 0 are integrally formed 4 on the base plate 116 and, referring to FIG. 4, it will be noted that the fingers 120 are so spaced relative to each other and to the fingers 82 of the feed conveyor that, as the fingers 120 approach transfer station B, they move down toward and into interdigitated relation with the fingers 82.

The reel 100 is disposed on a shaft (FIG. 5) which is rotatably journalled in bearings in the end frames 31 and 32. Near the left hand end (FIG. 5) of shaft 125, a drive unit 127 is keyed to the shaft, said unit including a central sleeve 128 surrounding shaft 125 and two spaced sprockets 129 and 130 that are rigidly secured, as by welding and by use of stiffening plates 131, to the sleeve 128. The drive unit 127 is keyed to shaft 125 and, when the shaft 125 is driven, the unit 127 is also driven and it, in turn, drives the transfer turret reel 100 due to the fact that the disc 102 of the reel is secured to the large sprocket 130 by capscrews 132.

After a pineapple has been engaged by a set of pick-up fingers 120 and moved upwardly along the curved plate 112 to station C, it is moved in a horizontal direction to the left in FIG. 5, into one of the centering units 22 by means of one of six pusher units that are mounted on the turret 100. Each unit 140 comprises a tubular center member 141 that is slidably supported on one of the fixed rods 110. Two pineapple-contacting rollers 142 are rotatably mounted on a bracket 143 that is secured to the end of a support arm 144 carried by and projecting from the center member 141 radially of the turret axis. A second arm 145 projecting from the center member 141 carries a rotatable guide roller 147 and is pivotally connected at 148 to the piston rod 150 of a double-acting power cylinder 151. Each power cylinder passes through holes in the disc 103 of the turret and through holes in the sprockets 129 and 130 and is pivotally connected to a disc 153 that is secured to an extension of the central sleeve 128 of the drive unit 127. The sleeve extension includes a sleeve 152, that is spaced from the end of sleeve 128 to form an annular chamber 154, and a large diameter sleeve 155 that is welded to the sleeves 128 and 152 and encloses chamber 154. Each guide roller 147 is disposed in a guide channel 156 which is secured to the outer surface of the central core 101 of the turret. Movement of each guide roller 147 in its associated channel maintains the radial orientation of the pusher unit relative to the axis of the turret. Also, it will be noted that each pusher unit is disposed immediately in front of one of the pick-up finger units 115 so that, when the pusher is activated, it is in position to engage the pineapple being carried around the turret by the pick-up unit.

Centering units.Each of the centering units 22 which are shown diagrammatically in FIGS 1 and 5 as blocks, are identical to the centering units that are described in detail and identified by the same reference numeral in my pending application Ser. No. 414,121, now Patent No. 3,352,237, which application is incorporated by reference therein. In general, each centering unit comprises an elongate box-like housing that is generally square in crosssection and has a longitudinal axis or centerline that is in alignment with an associated pusher unit 140 and with one of the coring tubes 24 on a processing head 25. A plurality of guide plates are mounted inside the housing adjacent all four walls thereof, each plate being springurged toward the center-line of the housing. Accordingly, as the pusher unit 140 moves a pineapple off the fingers of a pick-up unit 115 of the transfer turret and advances it into the aligned centering unit, the spring-loaded guide plates cooperate to engage all sides of the pineapple and center it in the housing so that, during continued advancement of the pusher, the pineapple P is impaled on the aligned coring tube, as seen in FIG. 5, with the coring tube penetrating the pineapple along its core axis.

Processing units.Each processing unit or head 25 comprises a housing 200 (FIG. 6) which has a top wall 201, a rear wall 202 (FIG. 9), spaced end walls 203 and 204 (FIG. 7), and a bottom wall 205. As previously mentioned, all of the units 25 are supported for movement in an endless path on spaced chains 26. Each housing is mounted on the chains by means of two brackets 210 and 211 (FIG. 6), each bracket having an arm 212 (FIG. 9) secured to the housing 200 by a bolt 213 that engages a flange 214 on the top wall of the housing. A second arm 216 of the bracket underlies the housing and is secured to the bottom wall 205 by a bolt 217. Each of the chains 26 is made up of a plurality of carriages 220 (FIG. 9) connected by conventional links 218 that are pivotally connected to transverse pins 219 rotatably mounted in the spaced carriages 220. As seen in FIG. 6, each carriage 220 is of channel shape so that the upstanding arms 220a of the carriage form a link of the chain. Each carriage has two threaded studs 222 (FIG. 9) that secure the bracket 210 or 211 to the carriage. Each transverse pin 219 carries two spaced rollers 230 (FIG. 6) which ride in guide tracks 231 that are bolted to the fixed frame of the machine. These vertical guide tracks are provided at the front and the rear of the machine to guide the heads while they are moving upwardly along the rear of the machine and downwardly along the forward part of the machine. As will be explained presently, processing operations are carried out while the heads move verti- (ally in these ascending and descending runs, and the guide tracks serve to stabilize the heads during these operations.

A coring unit 250 (FIG. 8) is mounted in each processing head 25. This coring unit and its included core ejecting mechanism is disclosed in detail in the above mentioned application Ser. No. 414,121, and reference may be had to said application for a detailed description of any mechanism not particularly described herein. In general, each coring unit comprises a tubular shaft 251 that has one end locked by means of a nut 252 and a spacer 253 to the inner race of a ball bearing unit whose outer race is fixed in the housing side wall 203. The opposite end of the shaft 251 fits snugly in a hole in a guide housing 256 that is pressed in the inner race of a ball bearing unit whose outer race is pressed in an opening in the side wall 204. Also in the opening in the side wall 204 is a flange (not shown) that is carried by the shaft 251 and is bolted to the housing 256 so that rotation of shaft 251 causes rotation of the housing. A retainer plate 258 bears against the outer race of the bearing unit in the wall 204 to help hold the unit in place. The coring tube 24 has a sharpened outer end 260 and an inner threaded end that is screwed onto a central portion of the guide housing 256. A prong carrier 261 is locked between the coring tube and the housing for rotation therewith. The prong carrier 261 has several sharpened fruit-engaging projections 261a on one face, and other projections 261b on the other face that are disposed in indents in the housing 256 to cause the housing to drive the prong carrier. With this arrangement the coring tube 24, the guide housing 256, the 'prong carrier 261, and the tubular shaft 251 are rotated as a unit when a gear 262, that is keyed to shaft 251, is rotated by means of a gear train 264.

The gear train 264 includes a hub 266 (FIG. 9) that is rotatably journalled on the shaft 251 and has three radially projecting arms 267, 268 and 269. A gear 271 and a sprocket 272 are secured together and rotatably journalled on the outer end of arm 269, while a small gear 275 (FIG. 9) that meshes with gears 271 and 272 is rotatably journalled on the outer end of arm 268. A spring 277, that is connected between the arm 267 and a fixed flange plate 278, urges the hub 266 in a clockwise direction (FIG. 9) to maintain the sprocket 272 in engagement with an-endless chain 280 (FIG. 1) that is secured in a channel 281 (FIG. 6). The channel is fixed to the frame of the machine and is a composite'member that provides a support for the entire endless chain and positions the chain adjacent the endless path of the processing units. Thus the spring 277 of each processing unit maintains its associated sprocket 272 in engagement with the fixed chain 280 so that the sprocket and the associated gear train are rotated as the processing unit moves in its circuitous path around the machine. As a result, each coring tube 24 is continuously rotated during operation of the machine.

A core ejector rod 300 (FIG. 8) is slidably disposed in bearing sleeves in the tubular shaft 251. At the left hand end (FIG. 8), the rod 300 carries a circular disc 301 which is arranged to be engaged by a pusher roller 303 (FIG. 7) on an end of one lever 304 of a compound lever system 305 that also includes a lever 306. Both of the levers 304 and 206 are pivotally mounted on a bracket 307 that is bolted to wall 203. At one end, the lever 306 carries a cam follower roller 309. A spring 310, which is connected between the bracket 306 and the lever 304, urges the lever 304 to a retracted position spaced from the disc 301 on the ejector rod. As will be explained more completely hereinafter, at a predetermined time during the upward movement of the head along the ascending run AR of its travel in the machine, a cam engages the follower roller 309, to pivot lever 306 which engages and pivots lever 304 and moves the pusher roller 303 into engagement with the ejector disc 301 of the ejector rod. The ejector rod is thus slid along the inside of shaft 251 to push the core of the pineapple out of the coring tube 24.

After a pineapple has been peeled, it must be pushed off the core tube 24 by a discharge mechanism which is also described in application Ser. N0. 414,121. This mechanism includes four push rods 315 (two only being shown in FIG. 8) that extends through openings in the guide housing 256 and have end portions that are secured to a flange 319 of a slide carrier 320. The carrier is a generally tubular member that is slidably journalled on the tubular shaft 251 and is looked to the inner race of a bearing unit 322 by a spacer sleeve 324 and a nut 323 which has a central hole receiving the shaft 251. A tubular outer housing 326 surrounds the slide carrier 320 and is secured to the outer race of the bearing unit 322 by a retainer ring 327. With this arrangement, the four push rods 315 can rotate with the guide housing 256 and can slide along the tubular shaft 251. It is to be noted that the outer housing 326 does not have to rotate with the rods 315 and, accordingly, this outer housing is used to slide the carrier 320 and the rods 315 along the shaft to push the pineapple off the coring tube 24.

The housing 326 is guided for movement longitudinally of the shaft 251 by a roller 330 that is secured to the housing 326 and bears against a guide bar 332 (FIGS. 8 and 10). Movement of the housing 326 is effected by a carriage 350 (FIGS. 8, 10 and 11) which has a fiat body portion 351 and two bosses 352 that are slidably journalled on a fixed rod 353. A chain 356, which is trained around two spaced sprockets 357 and 358 that are rotatably mounted in the carriage 350, is bolted to an upstanding tab 359 formed on the housing 326. The chain also carries a cylindrical pin 360 that is snugly received in a cylindrical opening 361 in the rear wall 202 of the main housing 200. An actuator rod 365 (FIG. 8), that has a roller 366 on one end and is slidably mounted in the wall 203, is secured, as by welding, to the carriage 350. It will be evident that, when the actuating rod 365 is moved toward the right (FIG. 8), the carriage 350 will also move toward the right. This movement of the carriage causes the chain 356 and the attached slide housing to move in the same direction as the carriage, but at a speed that is twice as fast as the speed of the carriage itself. This is due to the fact that the chain has a first increment of forward movement resulting from bodily movement with the carriage and a second increment of movement due to the fact that the chain moves around the sprockets 357 and 358.

The actuator rod 365 is moved to eject the processed pineapple from the coring tube 24 by means of a cam which will be described presently.

A cutter unit 400 (FIG. 6) is secured to one end of a rod 401 that is secured in a bracket 402 which is, in turn, mounted in the main housing 200 for reciprocating movement in a direction parallel to the axis of shaft 251. The bracket 402 on which the cutter housing is mounted has a pair of upper tubular bosses 418 that are slidably mounted on a fixed rod 419 which is mounted in the main frame 200 parallel to the shaft 251. A plurality of rollers 422 (FIGS. 7 and 10) are secured to the lower end of the bracket and are disposed in guided relation on a rod 423 that is also fixed in the main frame and is parallel to the guide rod 419. Movement of the bracket 402 longitudinally of the housing 200 is carried out by a chain mechanism 425 (FIG. 12) that is substantially identical to the chain mechanism that controls the movement of the four-push-olf rods 315. In general, this control mechanism includes a 'chain 430 (FIG. 12) which is trained around two sprockets 431 and 432 that are rotatably mounted on a plate 433. The chain passes through an opening in a flange 418A of one of the bosses 418 of bracket 402 and is secured to the bracket by a screw 436 that extends through the chain and is threaded in the flange 418A. The plate 433 has a pair of tubular bosses 438 that are slidably journalled on a fixed rod 439, and an arm 433A of the plate 433 carries a cam follower roller 441 and a roller 442 that rolls along a slot 443 (FIG. 10) formed by two closer plates 444 of the housing 200. The cam follower 441 is moved back and forth from left to right (FIG. 6) as the processing head moves through the machine. Movement to the right, positions the cutter 400 carried by the rod 401 opposite the right hand end of a pineapple on the coring tube 24. Movement of the cam follower 441 to the left causes the cutter to move longitudinally of the coring tube along the surface of the pineapple to peel it. The back and forth movement of dam follower 441 is effected by a fixed cam 450 (FIG. 6) which is mounted on the frame of the machine, and which will be described in detail presently. The plate 433 therefore is moved longitudinally in the housing 200 and, through the chain 430, causes movement of the cutter unit 400 longitudinally of the housing at twice the speed of movement of the plate 433.

The cutter unit 400 comprises a blade support 460 (FIGS. 13-15) that is mounted on parallel links 461 and 462 which extend downwardly from a hub 463 that is secured by a setscrew 464 to the rod 401. The link 461 is an H-shaped member, while the link 462 is made up of two spaced members 462a and 46212. The parallel links are pivotally mounted at their upper ends in two pins 465 and 466, respectively, that are fixed by setscrews in the hub 463 and, at their lower ends, the links 461 and 462 are pivotally mounted on pins 467 and 468 that are secured by setscrews to the blade support 460. The links, therefore, form a parallelogram linkage that causes the blade support 460 to move in a horizontal plane.

A pair of cutters 470 and 471 are secured to a lower portion of a carrier 472, the cutter 470 having a wedgeshaped portion 470a (FIG. 14) that has a sharpened upper edge 47%. The cutter 471 is a disc cutter that has a sharpened peripheral edge and is rotatable on a pin 473 projecting from the carrier 472. At its upper end the carrier 472 is provided with a hub 475 that is rotatably mounted, by means of a bearing sleeve (not shown), on the shank of a bolt 476. A spacer washer 477 (FIG. 15) is disposed between the hub 47 and the adjacent end 460a of the blade support 460, and a nut 478 locks the bolt 47 6 on the blade support.

A spring 480 is connected between the carrier 472 and a short anm 481 projecting downwardly from the member 460, the spring being arranged to pivot the carrier 472 about bolt 476 and urge it to a position directly below and in substantially vertical alignment with the support member 460.

A gauge 485 is mounted on the carrier 472 above the cutters, said gauge having a relatively fiat pineapple contacting plate member 485a (FIG. 16) and a stud 485b that is threaded in a boss 486 of the carrier. The stud is disposed at an angle relative to the carrier, as seen in FIG. 16, so that it lies substantially on a radial line extending from the axis of the associated coring tube 24. With this arrangement, the gauge plate bears against the surface to be peeled at a point adjacent to and above the cutters 470 and 471. Since the coring tube 24 rotates counterclockwide (FIG. 16) the gauge is on the leading side of the cutters and determines the depth of cut.

A spring 490 is connected between an arm 491, that is integral with a boss 492 of the hub 463, and the pivoting link 461, and is effective to urge the carrier 472 and the cutters thereon toward the coring tube 24.

As seen in FIG. 17, as the pineapple P is rotated in the direction of arrow Y and the cutter 400 moves longitudinally of the pineapple in the direction of arrow Z, the disc 471 which leads the wedge cutter 470, makes a cut X that extends generally transversely of the pineapple, the depth of cut being determined by the engagement of the gauge plate 485a with the fruit. It will be noted in FIG. 16 that the cutting edge of cutter 470 is at substantially the same distance from the coring tube 24 as the cutting edge of the disc and, accordingly, the sharpened edge of cutter 470 makes a wedging cut under the surface of the rotating pineapple and removes a strip S (FIGS. 16 and 17) of peel whose width is determined by the distance between adjacent cuts X previously made by the disc cutter 471. The disc cutter 471 is positioned far enough in advance of the wedge cutter 470 that the wedge cutter is in contact with a strip already prepared by the disc, as seen in FIG. 17.

When the cutter 400 approaches the end P of the pineapple, the end portion 460a of the blade support 460 engages a cam plate 500 (FIG. 17) that is fixed to the housing 200 of the processing unit and is contoured to swing the cutter support 460 away from the pineapple. As the cutter support reaches the outer position, where it approaches a straight portion 501 of the cam plate, a slanted wall 503a (FIG. 14) of an upstanding abutment 503 of the support member 460 engages a slanted forward wall 504a of a hook 504 formed on a latching lever 505 which is pivoted on pin 466. A torsion spring 506, connected between the lever 505 and a hub 507 setscrewed to the pin 466, urges the latching lever 505 in a counterclockwise direction (FIG. 14). Accordingly, When the abutment wall 503a engages the wall 504a of the hook 504, the hook is pivoted clockwise and upwardly against the resistance of the torsion spring 506. As soon as the abutment 503 passes the flat wall 504b of the hook, the torsion spring swings the lever downwardly to latch the abutment behind the hook. As will be explained presently, the cutter remains in the latched-out position while it is moved back to a position opposite the end P" of the pineapple in preparation for making a second out along the pineapple.

When the cutter is opposite the end P" of the pineapple at the beginning of either the first or the second peeling cut along the pineapple, it is unlatched by the engagement of a roller 510 (FIG. 13) with an abutment bar 511 that is mounted in fixed position on the frame of the machine. Since the cutter of each processing head makes a cutting pass along the fruit as it moves down its descending run DR and another while it is moving upwardly in its ascending run, it is necessary to mount one of the abutment bars 511 near the top of the run DR and a second bar 511 near the lower end of the ascending run AR. Each bar 511 is so positioned that its free end 511a will be engaged by a portion of the roller 510 which is mounted on a pin 512 projecting from lever 505, causing the lever 505 to swing about pin 466 against the resistance of torsion spring 506 and causing the hook 504 to move out of engagement with abutment 503. As soon as the cutter is unlatched, the spring 490 swings the parallelogram mounting of the cutter inwardly toward the coring tube so the peeling operation can be started.

As previously mentioned, each processing head moves in an endless path around the machine. At a point indicated generally as position C (FIG. 2) and during continued movement of the head, a pineapple is forced onto the rotating coring tube of the head, the cutter of which is, at this time, in the latched position spaced outwardly from the coring tube which may also be identified as a fruit support spindle. As the pineapple moves onto the tube, it pushes the core ejector rod 300 (FIG. 8) to a retracted position, placing the disc 301 of the ejector rod actuator in the phantom line position of FIGURE 8. As the head completes its movement around the upper end of the machine and starts downwardly along descending run DR the stationary cam track 450 (FIG. 6) moves the cutter head toward the right to its initial peeling position relative to the pineapple on the coring tube. When this position is reached, the roller 510 on the latching lever 505 engages an abutment bar 511 causing the latch to release the cutter and permit the spring 490 to swing the cutter into engagement with the pineapple. At this station, indicated generally as station D (FIG. 18) an assist cam 609 engages an end portion 4601) (FIG. 13) on the cutter and urges the cutter inwardly, supplementing the action of spring 490. As the processing head moves downwardly along the descending run DR, the cutter moves along the pineapple under the control of cam track 450 to make a first peeling cut. When the cutter reache a position indicated generally as station E in FIG. 2, the first cut is completed and the cam 500 engages the blade support 460 (FIG. 17) to move the cutter to its outer position at which it is automatically locked by the spring-loaded hook 504. As the head continues downwardly, the cam track 450 moves the cutter outwardly almost to its initial position opposite the free end of the coring tube.

The cutter head remains in its latched position as it rounds the lower end of the machine and starts up the ascending run AR. As the head approaches station F, a fixed cam track 615 moves the head all the way out to its initial position opposite the free end of the coring tube. When this position is reached, the latch is again released by abutment bar 511, and a second assist cam 614 engages the end portion 460b and swings the cutter .into contact with the pineapple. The stationary cam track 615 then causes the cutter to move longitudinally of the coring tube to make a second peeling cut.

When the pineapple was first impaled on the rotating coring tube at station C, a cylindrical piece or plug of core material was cut from the center of the pineapple. This plug remains inside the coring tube until shortly after station F is passed. Then, at station G, a fixed cam 616 (FIG. 18) engages the roller 309 (FIG. 7) on lever 306 of the compound lever system 305 to swing the lever counterclockwise for engaging the disc 301. The ejector rod 300 is thereby moved to the right to force the core plug out of the coring tube, and into a core cutter unit 625 which is described in my above-mentioned application, Ser. No. 414,121. In this unit the core is cut into desired lengths.

As the pineapple continues upwardly, its inner end P moves into engagement at station I with the sharpened edge 640 (FIG. 3) of a blade 641 that is mounted in fixed position in the machine by bolts 842. The construction and operation of this cutter blade 641 is also disclosed in my copending application, Ser. No. 414,121. Although the second peeling cut of the cutter 400 is still taking place, there will be no interference between the cutter 400 and the fixed blade 641 because, as seen in FIGURE 3, the cutter 400 engages the surface of the pineapple on the opposite side of the coring tube from the side engaged by blade 641. The cutting edge of the blade 641 is slanted upwardly and inwardly and it cuts into the pineapple to a point adjacent the coring tube so that the end P of the rotating pineapple is severed from the body of the pineapple. In order that the end P is completely severed from the body of the pineapple, an annular recess 644 (FIG. 8) is provided in the coring tube to receive the inner edge of the blade.

Just after the end P .is cut from the pineapple, the cutter 400 completes its second peeling cut, and the cam 500 engages the cutter support 460 at station K to move the cutter to its outer latched position. The cored and peeled pineapple is now ready to be removed from the coring tube. Accordingly, at this time, the roller 366 (FIGS. 6 and 7) engages a cam track 650 (FIG. 21) that is mounted in fixed position in the machine adjacent the path of movement of the processing heads. The roller 366 is moved inwardly of the head to shift the four ejector rods 315 (FIG. 7) to the right to push the pineapple off the coring tube at station L. The rods are moved to retracted position by the cam track 650 immediately after the discharge of the pineapple. It will be noted in FIGURE 21 that, during the movement of each head upwardly along ascending run AR, the roller 366 of the ejector mechanism was disposed behind a fixed retainer strip 651 which prevented ejection of the pineapple as the head moved upwardly.

Arrangement of control cams.FIGURES l82l show in diagrammatic form the location of the various cams used to obtain the above-mentioned operation of the machine. As previously mentioned, the first assist cam 609 and the cam track 450 which moves the cutter longitudinally of the pineapple during the first peeling cut and the unlatching cam 511 are mounted in fixed position along the descending run DR of the endless path of movement of the head. In FIGURE 19, the cam track 450 is shown as having an inclined upper portion UP that causes the cutter to be moved to its initial position opposite the outer free end of the coring tube just before station D is reached. An oppositely inclined intermediate portion IP is effective to move the cutter inwardly along the surface of the fruit during the first peeling operation, and an oppositely inclined LP which returns the cutter almost all the way to its outer position opposite the free end of the coring tube in preparation for the next peeling cut.

As the head moves around the lower end of the machine, the position of the cutter on the head is maintained by a curved cam track 652.

Along the ascending run AR, the second assist cam 614 is mounted in a position to urge the cutter inwardly when it is unlatched at station F; the cam 616 is mounted in fixed position to actuate the core ejector at station G; the cam track 615 is arranged to complete themovement of the cutter to its initial position and to control the movement of the cutter longitudinally of the coring tube during the second peeling cut; the cam 650 is mounted in position to actuate the pineapple ejecting mechanism at station L; and a fixed cam bar 655 is arranged to maintain the retracted position of the peeling head as it moves around the upper end of the machine.

In FIGURE 20, the cam track 615 is shown as having a short inclined section LP-l that engages follower roller 441, completes the movement of the cutter head to its projected position, and an elongate slanted upper portion UP1 that is effective to move the cutter inwardly along the surface of the pineapple during the second peeling cut. Also, the fixed cam bar 655 engages the follower roller 441 and holds the cutter in the retracted position it assumes on completion of the peeling cut.

Drive mechanism.The drive mechanism for the machine, which is shown diagrammatically in FIGURE 22, includes a motor 675 which is connected in a conventional manner to a gear reducer 676 that has an output shaft 677. A countershaft 678 is driven from shaft 677 by means of a chain 680, said countershaft having three 11 sprockets 681, 682 and 683 keyed thereon. Sprocket 681 is connected, by means of a chain 688 and a sprocket 689, in driving engagement with the shaft 125 that drives the transfer turret reel 100 and the sprockets 129, 130 that (drive the endless chains 26 on which the several processing heads 25 are mounted.

The second sprocket 682 on countershaft 678 is connected by means of a sprocket and chain mechanism 692 with the drive shaft 56 of the feed conveyor 50. The third sprocket 683 is operatively connected through a conventional right angle drive unit 694 and a sprocket and chain drive 695 to a shaft 696 that drives the core cutter 625.

Air control system.-Each of the six pusher members 140 that are carried 'by the transfer turret 23 is moved forwardly to push a pineapple through the associated centering unit and onto a coring tube by the double acting pneumatic cylinder 151 (FIG. associated with the pusher. After the pineapple is on the coring tube, the pusher is retracted by the cylinder 151. The pushers must be actuated in sequence and this is accomplished by a control system that is disclosed in my copending application, Ser. No. 414,121. Also the system for collecting the different parts of the pineapple after it has been processed is disclosed in said application.

Operation.Although the operation of the machine has been described in connection with the description of the various mechanisms, it will be summarized to emphasize the coordinated action of the entire machine for eifectively peeling pineapples. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, each pineapple is placed on a pocketed carrier of the feed conveyor 21 at Station A and is carried upwardly past cutter 18 that removes one end portion of the pineapple. At station B the fingers of one of the pick-up units 115 on transfer turret 23 move into the carrier to lift the pineapple out of the carrier and upwardly along the curved plate 112 to the transfer station C. At station C the pusher 140, associated with the particular pick-up unit 115, moves from right to left (FIG. 1) to transfer the pineapple from the pick-up unit to the centering mechanism 22 that is rotating with the pusher 140. As the pineapple is moved through the centering unit, it is oriented so that its core aXis is horizontal.

The twenty-two processing heads 25 are moved along their endless path in timed relation with the movement of the centering units 22 and, at station C, the coring tube 24 on one of the heads is in axial alignment with one of the centering units in which a pineapple is held. Accordingly, the pusher 140 that moves the pineapple into the centering unit continues its forward movement and forces the pineapple onto the coring tube 24 of the aligned processing head. Referring to FIG. 18, it will be noted that, as the head starts down the descending run DR, the cam track 450 first moves the cutter to its projected position opposite the outer end of the coring tube. As the cutter reaches this projected position, it is unlatched and swung inwardly toward the pineapple by the spring 490 and by the assist cam 609.

Since the cutter is being continuously rotated, it begins to peel the pineapple on the rotating coring tube as the head moves downwardly, and the cam track 450 causes the cutter to move longitudinally along the rotating pineapple. When the cutter has traversed the length of the pineapple, the cam 500 engages the cutter head and moves it outwardly to latched position. The cam track 450 then moves the cutter outwardly toward its projected position but it stops this outward movement before the unlatching position is reached.

The processing head moves around the lower end of the machine and, as it starts upwardly along the ascending run AR, the cam 615 completes the outward movement of the cutter to projected position, causing the cutter to be unlatc-hed at station F. The second assist cam 614 immediately moves the rotating cutter inwardly to engage the rotating pineapple on the rotating coring tube. During an initial portion of the upward movement of the processing head, the cam 616 engages the compound lever system 305 and effects the outward movement of the ejector rod 300 at station G to push the core plug of the pineapple into the rotating core cutter 625.

At station I the fixed blade 641 cuts off the inner end of the pineapple. When station K is reached the peeling cutter has completed its second peeling out along the surface of the pineapple and the cam 500 pivots the cutter outwardly to its latched position.

At station L the cam 650 engages the pineapple ejector rod and moves the four push-off rods outwardly along the coring tube to push the pineapple and the two severed end portions off the tube. The coring tube is then ready to receive another pineapple when it reaches station C.

In FIGURES 23, 24 and 25 further embodiments of the cutter that divides the peel into strips are shown. Each of these embodiments 700, 701 and 702 is arranged to be secured in fixed position on the carrier 472 and has a sharpened edge 700a, 701a and 70 2a, respectively, that is effective to cut into the peel of pineapple substantially in the same manner as does the rotatable disc 471.

A particular feature of the invention is indicated in FIG. 16 wherein it is seen that the pivot axis 705 of the hub 475 is in alignment with the point at which the gauge 485 contacts the peel and with the cutting edge of the wedge-shaped cutter 470. Accordingly, any forces generated by the contact of the fruit with the gauge and the cutter 470 will not cause pivoting of the carrier 472 about the pivot axis 705.

Also it is within the teaching of the present invention to positively drive the rotary disc cutter 471 as by means of a flexible drive shaft 710 (FIG. 26) that is connecteed between the disc cutter 471 and an electric motor 712 that may be mounted on the rod 401 that reciprocates with the cutters.

From the foregoing description it will be evident that the concept of first cutting peel into strips and then separating the strips from the body of the pineapple provides an effective way of removing peel from a pineapple. Further the disclosed rotary cutter disc and the wedge-shaped strip removing blade is a particularly effective means for carrying out the novel method of the present invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A fruit peeling mechanism comprising a rotatable spindle adapted to impale a fruit along its stem-blossom axis and to rotate the fruit about the axis of said spindle, means for rotating said spindle, a first cutter disposed adjacent said spindle, means for holding said first cutter in engagement with the peel of the fruit and for moving said first cutter longitudinally of the spindle during rotation thereof to make a spiral cut in the peel and leave the peel in attached strip form, a second cutter disposed adjacent said spindle and mounted for movement longitudinally of said spindle, and means for holding said second cutter in cutting engagement with the peel and moving said second cutter longitudinally of said spindle in trailing relation to said first cutter by the width of one strip peel, said second cutter being effective to penetrate the peel to substantially the same depth penetrated by said first cutter to undercut and to remove the strip peel prepared by said first cutter, said first cutter being disposed in a plane transverse to said spindle, and said second cutter being provided with a sharpened edge disposed generally transverse to the spiral path of movement of said first cutter.

2. A fruit peeling mechanism according to claim 1 including a depth gauge mounted in fixed position relative to said cutters and effective to bear against the surface of the peel at a peel area in advance of the peel area contacted by said cutters to control the depth of cut of said cutters.

3. A fruit peeling mechanism according to claim 1 including a mounting means disposed for pivoting in a generally vertical plane and adapted to mount said first and second cutters and said gauge, and means for urging said mounting member inwardly toward said spindle.

4. A fruit peeling mechanism according to claim 3 wherein said mounting means includes a carrier for said gauge and said cutters that is mounted for pivoting about a vertical axis, and spring means urging said carrier to a position wherein said cutters and said gauge face in a direction that is generally at right angles to said spindle.

5. A fruit peeling mechanism according to claim 3 wherein said mounting means includes a carrier for said gauge and said cutters that is mounted for pivoting about a vertical axis and said vertical axis is disposed in alignment with the points of contact of said gauge and one of said cutters.

6. A fruit peeling mechanism according to claim 3 wherein said mounting means includes a parallelogram linkage for moving said cutters and said gauge toward and away from said spindle.

7. A fruit peeling mechanism according to claim 1 ineluding a cam fixed relative to said spindle and adapted to intercept the mounting means for said cutters and move said cutters away from said spindle when said cutters have reached a predetermined position longitudinally of said spindle.

8. A fruit peeling mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said first cutter comprises a positively driven rotary blade.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,579,771 4/1926 Kools 146-43 1,590,162 6/1926 Hargreaves 146-6 2,034,160 3/1936 Taylor 1466 2,130,980 9/1938 Chattin et a1. 14643 2,427,123 9/1947 Catellier 14643 X W. GRAYDON ABERCROMBIE, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 146-43 

1. A FRUIT PEELING MECHANISM COMPRISING A ROTATABLE SPINDLE ADAPTED TO IMPALE A FRUIT ALONG ITS STEM-BLOSSOM AXIS AND TO ROTATE THE FRUIT ABOUT THE AXIS OF SAID SPINDLE, MEANS FOR ROTATE SAID SPINDLE, A FIRST CUTTER DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID SPINDLE, MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID FIRST CUTTER IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PEEL OF THE FRUIT AND FOR MOVING SAID FIRST CUTTER LONGITUDINALLY OF THE SPINDLE DURING ROTATION THEREOF TO MAKE A SPIRAL CUT IN THE PEEL AND LEAVE THE PEEL IN ATTACHED STRIP FORM, A SECOND CUTTER DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID SPINDLE AND MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID SPINDLE, AND MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID SECOND CUTTER IN CUTTING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PEEL AND MOVING SAID SECOND CUTTER LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID SPINDLE IN TRAILING RELATION TO SAID FIRST CUTTER BY THE WIDTH OF ONE STRIP PEEL, SAID SECOND CUTTER BEING EFFECTIVE TO PENETRATE THE PEEL TO SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME DEPTH PENETRATED BY SAID FIRST CUTTER TO UNDERCUT AND TO REMOVE THE STRIP PEEL PREPARED BY SAID 